European Commission

Statoil and Hydro have today, May 3, 2007, received clearance from the European Commission for the announced merger between Norsk Hydro ASA's petroleum activities and Statoil
ASA.
The European Commission has declared that the merger is compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the EC Merger Regulation.
The clearance represents a major step forward for Statoil and Hydro in order to complete the planned merger.
Merger clearances are still in the process of being obtained in other jurisdictions as required by applicable
laws.

Risk assessment for LNG imports to UK's Port of Milford Haven demanded by European Commission in response to long-term public prompting
There has been a further twist in the long-running saga over the safety of shipping Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) into the Milford Haven waterway, reports the 'Western Telegraph'.
Recently the European Commission issued a formal notice over ‘failure to comply with safety rules’.

In an apparent flexing of newfound muscles, the European Union is picking another trade fight with the United States, threatening to file a World Trade Organization complaint against the U.S. over fees on cargo ships at U.S. ports, increasing tensions between the two trading giants.
In a letter released last Tuesday, European Commission vice president Leon Brittan said harbor fees proposed by the Clinton administration, like those they would replace

An agreement has been reached between the European Union and China on its participation in the GALILEO program. This agreement was initialled in Beijing on September 18 by F. Lamoureux, Director-General of Energy and Transport at the European Commission, and M Shi Dinghuan, Secretary General of China's Ministry of Science and Technology. “China will help GALILEO to become the major world infrastructure for the growing market for location services,” said Loyola de Palacio

European Commission adopts two new proposals on maritime labour standards
Two new proposals adopted by the European Commission are set to bring the European Union into line with enforcements and compliance rules foreseen by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006. The MLC provides the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers with rights and protection at work.
The proposals for two new directives clarify flag and port states’ responsibilities to ensure that maritime labour

The European Commission (EC) has stated that unannounced inspections were carried out at the premises of a number of operators of deep sea maritime tanker services in several European Economic Area (EEA) countries. EEA countries include the 15 European Union states, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The purpose of the inspections was to ascertain whether there is evidence of a cartel agreement and related illegal practices.

The European Commission has authorized the proposed acquisition of the German submarine producer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) by the American banking company, Bank One Corporation. The Commission's investigation confirmed that the operation will not create anti-competitive effects, as the transaction will not result in any overlaps between the parties' activities in the European Union. The Commission's careful investigation has also failed to establish any links between Bank One and any

Kvaerner has reportedly appealed against a European Commission ruling that it must repay state aid of $44.8 million for alleged over-production at its Warnow shipyard in Germany during 1998.
Kvaerner officials maintain that the company complied with a technical capacity limit imposed when the yard was acquired in 1992, and was within its rights to boost actual output due to productivity gains.

The European Commission extended its rescue mission off Italy until at least the end of the year, it said on Thursday, and gave Rome extra funding to deal with an influx of migrants from Africa and the Middle East.
The Commission launched the mission, dubbed Operation Triton

Maritime transport in the Baltic Sea to become greener with EU support
The EU's TEN-T Program will provide more than €2 million to back the upgrade of two ferries navigating in the Baltic Sea to the mixed use of electricity and fuel. The new hybrid propulsion system will help to reduce the

The World Ocean Council is partnering again with The Economist to help engage the ocean business community in upcoming events:
For the third Arctic Summit, the WOC is working with The Economist to help ensure Arctic business community participation

The EU's TEN-T Program will invest over $767,000 in a study on introducing an intelligent traffic management system in the port of Hamburg in Germany. The study is to contribute to an optimized use of the port's infrastructure, reduced traffic-related pollution

194 nations last week agreed at the Geneva Climate Change Talks to a negotiating text which could see international emissions caps placed on the shipping industry by 2020.
Shipping is a large and growing source of the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change

The EU's TEN-T Program will co-fund with over €2 million the development of the sea ports of Trelleborg (Sweden) and Świnoujście (Poland), to increase their competitiveness and sustainability, as well as improve the maritime link between both countries.

Port of Hirtshals in Denmark will receive over EUR1 million a pilot construction of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank and bunker, co-financed by EU’s TEN-T Program.
The pilot project will see construction of a 500 cubic meter LNG storage tank and bunkering facility

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union has granted official patronage to the forthcoming European Shipping Week (ESW) which will be held in Brussels during March 2‐6, 2015. This support joins the European Parliament’s official patronage by its President, Martin Schulz

The EU's TEN-T Program will back with over $16.25million the improvement of the sea connection between Dover in The UK and Calais in France.
The developments include better traffic management, berth enhancements and a new rail freight connection between Calais and southern France.

The EU’s TEN-T Program will invest almost €600,000 in a study for the promotion of LNG use in Greek maritime transport.
The greener and cheaper LNG could contribute to reducing transport emissions and fuel supply costs in the Aegean Sea, INEA

The International Monetary Fund will resume bailout talks with Greece once a new government is in place after next month's snap general election, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a statement on Monday, noting that Athens faces no immediate funding needs.

Top ship recycling experts from around the globe gathered in Tokyo on December 10 at the ClassNK Ship Recycling Seminar to discuss the latest updates to the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU Regulation), the classification society announced. Members from Japan’s Ministry of Land

Two Chinese ship recycling yards have applied for inclusion of their facilities in the future EU list of Ship Recycling Facilities.
The official documents for the application were presented yesterday in Brussels to Julio Burgués